In utter amazement beyond comprehension the only drivable Eleanor Mustang that starred in the movie “Gone in 60 Seconds” somehow has managed not to find a buyer at the most recent Mecum auction. With no rhyme or reason for this unlikely development we can only speculate that simply no one in attendance of the auction held in Austin, Texas, was willing to pony up the money for this iconic Hollywood horse.
Having changed hands back in May of 2013 for one million bucks when it crossed the auction block, everyone expected Eleanor to garner interest from collectors when it recently rolled back onto the market. This, Mecum’s first-ever collector car auction in Austin, was expected to attract some high rollers with some pretty deep pockets ready to throw down some serious bidding. However, with this one of a kind find unable to find a new home obviously pockets were not deep enough to attract a buyer.With only eleven of the Eleanor Mustangs produced for the film, with three functional and working cars, two met their demise when they were destroyed in the junkyard crusher scene and the unforgettable bridge jump. Leaving only one drivable Eleanor, from one of the most beloved car movies of our time, this is the specimen that was used most for all close-ups and for advertising through the duration of the film’s promotions.
With Chip Foose enlisted to help in the design of the car, the exterior of Eleanor includes PIA driving lights, new side skirts, scoops, and fender flares, along with a reconfigured fiberglass front end as well as a nitrous injection switch and a Go-Baby-Go shifter knob button in the interior cabin. Receiving its power from a Ford Racing 351 cubic inch crate motor with Holley 700 CFM 4-barrel carburetors and supported by a 4-speed manual transmission, as the only one to survive the shooting of the film one would have thought this to have been the star of the show.
Sadly whatever the reason for this infamous ride unable to change hands it appears there were simply no Eleanor fans in attendance willing to place the winning bid. Unsure if the owner will keep Eleanor on the market we can gather it is unlikely we will see her hit the Mecum red carpet again anytime soon, with what some might call an embarrassing showing. Do you think once a car reaches a million dollars, it is no longer a collector item and more of a show-off trophy?